Rod-line stretcher for oil-pumping mechanism



Feb. 24, 1931. H. SPOONER ROD LINE STRETCHER FOR OIL PUMPING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 24, 1931.

H. SPOONER' ROD IJINE STRETCHER FOR OIL PUMPING MECHANlSM Filed Sept. 21. 1929 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Inn/enfaz Patented Feb. 24, 1931 HARRY sroonnn, or srurrrnivs, nnxnnsas ROD-LINE STRETCHER FOR OIL-PUMPING MECHANISM Application filed. September 21, 1929. Serial No. 394,283.

This invention relates to improvements in rod line stretchers of the. type employed in connection with the pumping powers used to pump oil wells.

5 In pumping oil wells by means of the socalled central pumping powers, it happens that the rod lines connecting the pumping mechanism with the powers often break and must be repaired and again pulled tight. The methods now employed for elfecting the repair of these rod lines are laborsome, expensive and require considerable time.

Its chief purpose is the provision of a rod line stretcher of this character which is designed to overcome the objections above referred to and which utilizes the stroke of the pumping power eccentric for actuating it.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a power-actuated device of this character which is simple and compact in construction, whose parts are so organized and arranged as to enable them to be readily manipulated during the repairing of broken rod lines, and which effects a straight pull on the rod lines.

In the accompanying drawings Figurelis a side elevation of a rod line stretcher embodying my invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation thereof showing the working parts of my device before the power is applied to stretch the rod line. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the position of the parts after the rod line has been stretched. Figure 4 is a top plan view of the power eccentric. Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of one of the take-up units or stretcher devices. Figure 6 is a cross-section thereof taken in line 6+6, Figure 5. 1

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates a pumping jack of any suitable and well known construction, 11 a pumping power of any standard type which serves to actuate the jack to pump the oil from the well, and 12 a series of pull rods joined by suitable couplings to form the rod line which is opcratively connected at its opposite ends to the pumping jack and to an eccentric 13 of the pumping power. The rod line is usually guided and supported in its reciprocatory movements on posts 14 or equivalent 0 supports.

The connection of that end of the rod line associated with the pumping jack 10 may consist of a combination clamp 15 which is firmly anchored at one end to the rod line and detachably connected at its other end to the pumping jack. That end of the rod line associated with the pumping power eccentric 13 may likewise have a combination a clamp 16 thereon carrying a throw-off hook 17 for detachably connecting it to the combination clamp or bail 18 applied to the free end of the connectingrod 19 actuated by the eccentric.

In the event that the rod line 12 becomes 7 broken and separated, as seen in Figure 1, the line must be repaired by disconnecting its hook 17 from the connecting rod clamp 18 and inserting a new rod section therein, after which the linelis again tightened or stretched taut and connected to the connecting rod when it is ready for operation. When the repair ofthe rod line has been effected, the attaching hook for connecting it to the power eccentric is quite remote from the latter and for the purpose of stretching the line to couple it to said eccentric, I employ a stretching device which is operatively connected to the pumping power 11 and which is preferably constructed as follows g 20 indicates an anchoring post positioned adjacent to the pumping power and connected to this post by a chain 21 or other flexible connection is a pull jack including a hollow block or frame 22 containing a revolvablc wheel 23 having ratchet teeth 21 thereon and an annular groove 25 having radial teeth or spikes 26 projecting therefrom. Engageable with the grooveand spikes of this wheel is a pull chain 27 or like connection which is adapted for connection at one end to the hook 17 of the rod line clamp 16 while its other end is left free for the purpose of permitting the operator to take up any slack in the chain be tween the wheel and the end of the rod line.

A pawl 28 fulcrumed at 29 to the block 22 and engageable with the ratchet teeth 24 allows for free rotation of the wheel in one direc tion, a spring 30 being provided for normally holding the pawl in engagement with the teeth. If desired, a cam 31 or similar member may be provided for holding the pawl released from the ratchet teeth should it be necessary, for any reason, to have the wheel turn freely in either direction. v

A second pull jack 32 is provided for connecting the rod line 12 with the pumping power 11 and as this jack is identical in construction with that just described, a further detailed explanation thereof is therefore not deemed necessary. I This second pull jack is connected by a chain 33 or similar connection with the connecting rod 19 of the pumping power eccentric 13 through the medium of a suitable clamp 23%, while engaging the toothed wheel 23 of said jack in pull chain 35 having one .end thereof connected to the bail 36 of aclamp 37 secured to the adjacent end of the rod line. Theother end of the-pullchain in its stretched conditionwhile effecting, for

example, a repair to the pumping power, or should the well be pumped sufliciently.

In the operation of this device, assuming the rod line 12 to have been repaired after breakage and the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 2, ready for stretching the rod line tight and coupling it to the pumping power, the two pull acks 22, 32 are connected by their respective pull chains 27,v 35 to the hook 17 and the clamp 37 on the rod line. Upon transmitting motion to the pumping power, its eccentric 13 imparts a longitudinal movement to the connecting rod 19 and the rod line is pulled or stretched an amount equal to the eccentric stroke, the pawl 28 holding the ratchet wheel 23 of the pull jack 32 against turning during this action. This pulling 0f the rod line results in a slack being formed in the pull chain 27 and the operator, during such pulling action, removes such slack by pulling on the free endo'f said chain, the latter holding the rod line during the return stroke of theeccentric. During this return stroke, the pull chain 35 is ren dere d loose or slack and such slack is removed by pulling on the free endofthe chain. This operation of stretching the rod line by alternately taking up the slack in the pull chains 27 35 is continued until the hook 17 on the end of the rod line'can be engaged with the bail 18 on the opposing end of the connecting rod 19, at which time the pumping system is again ready for operation.

While manifestly simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, this improved rod line stretcher makes possible the repair of the rod line in a minimum period of time and with little or no effort on the part of the operator, whose only act is that of taking up the slack in the pull chains '27, 35 resulting from the rod line being stretched'or made taut, the eccentric stroke of the pumping power furnishing the pull required for accomplished the desired result.

ll claim as my invention V 1. In a well pumping mechanism, the combination of a pumping jack, a pumping power, a rod line connecting said jack with said power, an anchoring member disposed adjacent to the latter, and duplicate jack means each including a pull chain having one end thereof adapted for attachment to he rod line while its other end is free, one of the jack means being attached to the anchoring member and the other being con nected to the pumping power for actuation thereby on its pull stroke for effecting the adjustment and tightening of the rod line.

2. In a well pumping mechanism, the combination of a pumping jack, a pumping power, a rod line connecting said jack with each consisting of a pull ack having a fiexible connection associated therewith, one of said pull jacks being anchored in place and having its flexible connection joined to the power end of the rod line, and the other of said pull jacks being joined to the pumping power and movable therewithand having its flexible connection joined to the rod line.

3. In a wellpumping mechanism, the combination of a pumping jack, a pumping power including an eccentric and a connecting rod, a rod line adapted'to operatively join said jack with the connecting rod of said power, and means for stretching the line tight and rigid between said parts including a pair of stretching devices each consisting of a pull jack having a'wheel and ratchet and a flexibleconnection passing around said wheel, one of said pull jacks being held against endwise movement and having its flexible connection joined to the power end of the rod line, and the other of said pull jacks being joined to the connecting rod of the power-eccentric and having its flexible connection oined tothe rod line, whereby'the stroke of theeccentric acts to take up the rod line, each of the flexible connections of the pull jacks having a free end for pulling any slack therefrom during the stretching operation.

' HARRY SPOGNER. 

